A DEAF schoolboy has written to the Prime Minister to plead for clear facemasks to help people who lip-read.

Austin Goodard, from Lancing, wrote a letter to Boris Johnson to say that it made him “sad and lonely” to be unable to communicate with others when they are wearing a face mask.

The 12-year-old has relied on lip-reading as a means of communication since the age of three when he was found to be profoundly deaf.

The Argus: Austin Goodard and his mum Justine. Photo credit: ITV/This MorningAustin Goodard and his mum Justine. Photo credit: ITV/This Morning

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Austin wrote that he would like to see more people using clear facemasks or visors to help people who lip-read.

Austin received a reply from Downing Street in which a spokesman said the government would look at what adjustments could be made.

Appearing on This Morning, Austin’s mum Justine said her son’s campaign has played an important role of raising awareness of deafness.

The Argus: Austin wrote to Boris Johnson about the importance of clear face masksAustin wrote to Boris Johnson about the importance of clear face masks

She said: “He did write to Boris and the response has been amazing, he did an online petition and the amount of people who have signed it.

“Everybody is really proud. Very proud. In the first lockdown he didn’t do any homework whatsoever, but wrote this amazing letter to Boris Johnson, so we’re super proud of that.

“The response we’ve had from deaf, or hearing people is amazing because it’s something we take for granted everyday.

“You see someone with hearing aids and think it’s a fix and it totally isn’t, there’s still lots of ways to communicate.”

Justine says the campaign has given Austin the confidence to ask people to remove their mask if they are trying to speak to him to allow him to lip-read.

She told This Morning that the ability to hear is something people “take for granted everyday” and the importance of see-through masks and visors is often overlooked by people outside the deaf community.

Justine added that home-schooling has been particularly difficult for Austin and for other parents of children with hearing problems.

She told This Morning: “The online learning has been exceptionally hard for deaf children.

“We’ve had some parents contact us saying that some schools haven’t done subtitles because it’s too distracting for the other children, which is not really very acceptable at all.”